Naomi Osaka Claims First Clay-Court Title in Saint-Malo

ROME — Naomi Osaka made a significant comeback last week by winning the L'Open 35 de Saint-Malo, the first clay-court title of her career, at a WTA 125 event in France. This triumph marks her first victory in a tournament of this tier in ten years, a move she compared to Andre Agassi‘s drop to Challenger level in the 1990s.

Osaka, who faced various challenges on clay surfaces previously, demonstrated her skill with a strong performance. During her opening match at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia, she defeated wild card Sara Errani with a score of 6-2, 6-3, showcasing her powerful backhand with a total of 40 winners. This victory extended her winning streak to six matches.

“I didn’t really have too much of an ego playing that tournament,” Osaka said, reflecting on her decision to participate in a lower-tier event. “For me, I just wanted to focus on the tennis. I wanted to rack up experience on clay.”

Osaka’s victory in Saint-Malo did not come easily; she faced a tough second-round match against Diane Parry, trailing 4-1 in the final set before rallying to win. Despite the stress of competition, she expressed that her main worry was missing her daughter, Shai.

Celebrating her win, Osaka indulged in her first crêpe, a suggestion from her coach Patrick Mouratoglou. “It was the best crêpe of my life,” she said. The sweet treat capped off a successful week, as she now looks forward to her next challenge against No. 9 seed Paula Badosa.